The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-08
CHURCH MUSIC.

A. EssAT 81 MRS. LENA N, HoBbs,
krAp eEFUnE THE CSioN OF FAIR
RIVER ASSOCIATION AND PUBLISHED
sT KroUFsl or THAT BODY.
The heart, with its passionate long
inSs, its hope aud despair, its delight
and its utter wearincss. is but an in
strument vi music ever respond
ing in tones, sod or gay, to the
ehangeful fingers which touch
apon its strings There is in
souls sympathy with sounds. and
some chord in unison with what
we hear. is touched within us and the
heart replies Az the mind is pitched.
The ear is pleased with tender melody,
grave or gay, martial OF merry. Bee
thoyen has said that "music should
strike tire from the heart Of man and
bring tears II Tom the eyes ~ woman"
Be this IT. 1t may. this master
musicians music accomplished both.
and as long rs there are Joys aud son
rows. as long as there are human
hearts responsive, will Lis music thrill
and scothe, and lap into Elvsium the
prisorcd souls of sin stained mortalS.
Language fails 10 express the
power of music Music. Il raptiie of
sweet sounds. answers 50 fully
10 every feeling Of the human
heart that language quails Ill weak
ness and tlutters to earth beneath the
inspired flight of tunetul melody.
Strains of harmony heard in earliest
childhood. thrill through all the
years, and carry us. on oft rcgretiul
wings. back to innocent days of Ciee
when we played about our fathers
door Through which. cen now, the
melody still floats, though the brcez-
- and the angels wait it heavcnward.
Some years ago while on visit to
New Orleans and Spanish Fort, in
company with gentleman. who for
many years, had been away from his
childhoods home across the ocean. Il
magnificent Brass Band struck up
Rossini's mastery piece of civilian
Tell" Entranced ! listened, when
my companion, upon whom
the frosts of many winters had fallen,
turned upon NE his brave. tender
eyes. now filed with tears, and
trembling with emotion said: - That
takes me home" His heart had gone
out on waves of melody leagues
across the ocean. and again a blue
eyed German boy he was, ere old
oceans ambitious murmurings had
wooed him from the - Fatherland."
Should not our sacred songs-our
church muSic--carrY our thoughts on
glad wings of loving trust up to our
Fathers House? Do they not Take
us Home" to the mansions. prepared
for us. eternal in the heavens? Again,
lnusic-a song, a chord, a simple
strain-will oft strike keenest pain to
an already suffering heart--a heart
filled, perhaps, with sadly swcetmcmo-
Eies of silent lips that used to sing
but that took with them al the
joyous melody when they closed for
ever to earth's music =
Nay! not that song | could not
bear 10 hear
The words he sang from any lips
less dear
Than those that God hath stilled;
For l should feel that every pause
was filed
With pulsing notes Of music all too
sweet
Fer human ears to meet,
And fancy that | heard
A sweeping sound as hush of angels
Yet know | could not see their glitter
ing wings:
Nor reach through the thin air, to
where my singer sings"
The first record we have of music is
in Gen. iv chap. 81 v, referring to
Jubal, brother of Tubal Cain, as the
Father (perhaps teacher) Of musicians
upon the harp and organ, Tyre and
Pandean pipes. Music was used
socially from an early date, as i'll Gen.
21st chap. 27 V. David. an accom-
plished musician, gave much atten
ton to its cultivation and introduce
ton into the Temple Worship o.
Chron. %, ! ". 1t is probable, also,
$50 history gocs) that in this service
there were cboiIs, as in Ezra, 2:G4-G5,
we are told that in congrega
ton Of 9,737 people, "there were 200
singing men and singing Women"
Now | shall not 90 into discussion
as to whether or not we should use
musical instrumcntsin our churches or
sing tunes to hymns not found in
hymn books, or have chOiIstO "praise
he Lord by note" Different locali-
ties ana different circumstances de-
eide these matters of opinion and
cultivation as nothing else can do.
But with emphasis and with gladness,
because nothing so inspires the heart
- man With love to God and his fell
iGv man, as music, | state (what is